Corse & Staunton Cricket Club captain Tim Dannatt was a very good skier back in the day.

The one-time Crypt School pupil was good enough to represent England Schools in the world schools championships in Italy when he was 16, competing in both the slalom and giant slalom.

That was downhill all the way, of course, which is in stark contrast to what has been happening to his cricket club in recent times.

Dannatt is now 29 and the wicketkeeper/batsman is in his 10^th season as captain of the men’s flagship team.

During that period they have risen as high as Premier 2 Glos/Wilts of the West of England Premier League where they were up against some real big-hitters such as Cheltenham and Hatherley and Reddings.

“That was a massive achievement for a small village team,” said Dannatt, who lives in Corse.

“To get to that level was always my goal as captain, it was a huge effort.

“We were there for two years and gave it a real good go in our first season.

“Last season was tough and we got relegated but we were up against some very good players.

“It was a different standard of cricket, very intense.

“Realistically, we feel the Gloucestershire Division is more suitable for use, we want to enjoy our cricket.”

That doesn’t mean there is any shortage of ambition at the club, far from it, and Dannatt is still driving his team forward like he has always done.

Cricket has always been a big part of his life. His dad Steve, a batting all-rounder, is an ex-1^st XI player and these days skippers the club’s 3rds.

“I first started playing junior cricket at the club when I was seven,” recalled Dannatt, who bats anywhere in the top four.

“I made my 1^st XI debut when I was 14 and I’ve been a regular ever since.”

And he’s always been a wicketkeeper.

“Yes I have,” he said. “I played all through county age group and I was lucky enough to do a bit of work with Jack Russell when I was 15 or 16.

“I’ve always prided myself on influencing the game as a wicketkeeper. I love being involved in the game all the time.”

And the aggressive right-handed batsman thinks being a wicketkeeper helps him to captain the side.

“It gives you a very good perspective of the game,” he said.

“You understand how the pitch is playing and what the bowlers are trying to do, it helps you to set fields.”

And he’s been setting fields for most of his life because he was captain of all the club’s age group teams.

So what sort of captain is he?

“I try to lead from the front,” he said. “I focus on the team sticking together and fighting together. The key  for me is that we enjoy it whether things are going well or not.

“The majority of the first team have all grown up playing together, we’re playing with our best mates each week which massively helps with getting through the tough situations.”

And Dannatt is the leader of the pack.

“As you’d expect, as a wicketkeeper I’m very vocal on the pitch,” he continued.

“There’s a lot to do because you’ve got to focus on every ball but it’s something I really enjoy.”

Dannatt took over as captain from Wayne Phillips back in 2014. Before that, Ian Robson had been captain of the side, playing a key role in helping to establish Corse and Staunton as one of the better clubs in the county.

And the club are thriving at all levels these days.

“We’ve got three Saturday men’s teams, a ladies’ team and a youth set-up,” added Dannatt.

“The majority of our adult team players have come through the youth system, something we are particularly proud of.”

The ladies’ team, who are now captained by Jade Adlam, have been in existence for a number of years now and play regular games on a Sunday afternoon, with training running 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursday nights, the same night as the men.

“We have a great community feel at the club,” explained Dannatt. “We want to encourage as many people to our club as possible whether they are interested in being part of the local community or looking to play competitive cricket.”